Chapter 3: Ash the Duelist
Disclaimer: I don't own either Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh.
Back in Domino City, the Pharaoh was still trying to figure out a way to recreate the accident that sent Serenity into the Pokémon world and become Ash's mentor in Duel Monsters and admirer. While he was doing that Joey and Mai were currently reorganizing their decks for the tournament, Tristan and Duke were still pacing around frantically with Téa trying to calm them down.
It seemed like the Pharaoh hadn't found anything about how to recreate what happened until he saw the Millennium Puzzle glowing again just like last time. This caught everyone's attention.
"What's happening, Yugi?" Duke asked.
"I believe I figured it out." The Pharaoh said.
"So will you be able to bring Serenity back?" Joey asked hopefully.
"Let's hope." The Pharaoh said as the vortex opened only it was smaller than the last one.
Meanwhile back in the Pokémon world, Ash, Pikachu and Serenity were sitting at the table while Brock and Dawn were putting up the tent. Serenity was currently quizzing Ash on a few things about the game.
"Okay Ash, what have you learned so far?" Serenity asked him.
"Monster cards are divided into four categories Normal Monsters, Effect Monsters, Fusion Monsters, and Ritual Monsters. There are also Magic cards like Normal Magic Cards, Equip Magic Cards, Quick-Play Magic Cards, Continuous Magic Cards, Ritual Magic Cards, and Field Magic Cards. And finally Trap cards which vary from Normal Traps, Counter Traps, and Continuous Traps. Magic cards can be used at any point in the duel but Trap cards need to be set before they can be activated."
"And?" Serenity said.
"Oh right! Level one-four monsters can be summoned regularly but level five or higher need a sacrifice in order to summon them." Ash finished.
"Correct! You've been learning well."
"Well I've had a good teacher." Serenity blushed a little from that comment. "And from what you've told me Joey's been a pretty good teacher to you to."
"Yeah he's taught me a lot of things whenever we see each other." She said. Wait whenever they see each other?
Ash and Pikachu had to wonder what she meant. "What do you mean whenever you see each other?" He then saw Serenity lower her head. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to…"
"No it's okay it's just that our parents are divorced so I don't see him a lot. When it happened I really missed him, but I knew he was still there with me no matter what I went through." She said.
'Oh man now I feel horrible for bringing it up.' Ash thought. "I know how she feels though. But my case is different from hers." In the back of his mind the shadowed silhouette of someone appeared. Serenity was worried she made Ash feel guilty. She was about to place her hand on his when they both saw something flash to the side. Brock and Dawn also looked and what they saw was the vortex, but smaller then the first one.
"How did that open?" Dawn questioned. No one had a clue until they saw someone step out of the portal and that someone was Joey. Seeing Joey made Serenity's eyes widen in joy.
"Joey!" She exclaimed as she ran up to him. Joey saw his little sister and smiled.
"Serenity!" Joey hugged her tightly. Ash and his group smiled at the reunion. "I was so worried! Are you all right, sis?"
"I'm fine, Joey. Thanks to my new friends I'm just fine." Serenity said as she pointed to the others. Ash was the first to approach Joey with Pikachu on his shoulder.
"We saved her life when she came through the vortex, my name's Ash Ketchum by the way and this is Pikachu." Ash introduced both himself and Pikachu as he shook hands with Joey.
"Nice to meet you, name's Joey Wheeler, her older brother." Joey said as he stopped shaking hands with Ash. He then looked towards his sister with a smirk. "So is he your new boyfriend, sis?" That question had both Ash and Serenity blushing as they looked at each other.
"No it's not like that!" Serenity denied, with her face still red as she shook her hands. "We're just friends that's all!"
Joey chuckled a little at her face. "Calm down I was only kidding. Anyway we should get back cause I'm not sure how long Yugi can keep this open." Serenity looked happy that she could go back home with Joey, but at the same time torn about being separated from Ash. Just as Joey was about to enter the vortex, she came up with an idea.
"Uh Joey one thing first." She said. Joey looked back and wondered what she had to ask. "Well I've kind of been teaching Ash a little bit about Duel Monsters and I was wondering if he could come with us so you and Yugi could teach him a bit more." She looked at Joey hoping he would say yes.
Everyone looked surprised about her request. Joey thought for a moment and then looked at Serenity and noticed her giving him that begging look. He finally came up with an answer. "Okay he can come along." Serenity silently rejoiced and Ash looked glad that he could learn more about Duel Monsters.
Ash turned to his friends and said to them. "I'll be back at some point you guys."
"Wait what about your next battle against Volkner? Don't you need to train for that?" Dawn questioned.
"One day of not training won't kill me. Besides you guys are always telling to take a break every now and again, right?" Ash said.
"Yeah but not…" Dawn was about to say but Brock cut her off.
"All right, be safe Ash. Who knows maybe this time off will help you come up with a strategy to beat Volkner."
Ash nodded. "Hey Ash, you coming!" Serenity called out to her friend and student.
"Yeah!" He said as he and Pikachu joined her and Joey by the vortex and they all entered through.
Back in Domino City, Yugi, Téa, Mai, Tristan, and Duke were still the shop as the vortex was still opened. Suddenly Joey came out followed by Serenity, Ash and Pikachu. The others were happy to see Serenity back.
"Serenity!" Tristan and Duke exclaimed they both would have rushed up to her but Mai held them back.
"Welcome back, hon." The blond haired woman said.
"Thanks, Mai." Serenity said. Yugi and Téa then noticed Ash and Pikachu standing near Joey.
"So Serenity, who's your new friend?" Téa asked.
"Oh this is Ash Ketchum and his partner Pikachu." Serenity introduced them. "They sort of helped me when I fell out of the portal and Ash is my student now."
"Nice meeting you all." Ash said politely as Pikachu waved. Yugi was the first to approach the trainer.
"Nice to meet you, too Ash. My name's Yugi." Yugi introduced himself as he shook hands with Ash.
"I'm Téa. Nice to meet you Ash." Téa introduced herself.
"I'm Mai." Mai said.
"I'm Tristan." Tristan introduced.
"And I'm Duke." Duke introduced himself.
Mai looked towards Serenity and had to ask something. "So he's your student?"
Serenity nodded. "Yes I've taught him a few things about the game, but I wasn't able to show him a practice duel since he doesn't have a deck and I only had my deck."
"Well that's no problem now." Yugi spoke up. "With all the cards we have here we can help him make a deck and then one of us can duel against him."
"That's awesome!" Ash said happy that he's going to get the chance to duel. Serenity was happy that Yugi was going to help teach Ash. A while later Ash and Pikachu were looking through a lot of cards to help make his deck. "Okay Serenity said not to fill my deck with too many high leveled monsters." Ash looked at all the cards 'til he one that caught his eye. It had a picture of a man in yellow cybernetic armor. "The Fiend Megacyber?" Ash read the writing at the bottom and then he placed the card in his deck along with a few other cards.
After he was done he met with everyone outside near the practice field.
Serenity approached him. "So you ready?" Ash nodded. "Good we went over who would be your opponent and Duke was chosen to duel against you."
"Well technically we drew straws." Duke mulled.
"He would've done it if Serenity asked him to." Joey whispered to Mai. Serenity approached Ash and handed him her Duel Disk.
"Until we can get you your own I'll let you borrow mine for now." She said to him.
"Thanks." Ash thanked her as he placed the Duel Disk on his wrist.
"Good luck." She said as she joined the others with Pikachu.
Ash stood on the opposite side of Duke and both activated their Duel Disks.
Duke's LP: 4000
Ash's LP: 4000
"You ready?" Duke asked.
"Yep." Ash said.
"Then why don't you start us off and remember the first duelist can't attack on the first turn."
Ash nodded then looked at the cards in his hand and then thought up a strategy in his head.
"Okay first I place on card face down and then I summon Dark Blade in attack mode!" As he said that a horizontal card appeared in front of him and so did a monster with black spiked armor and had two swords tucked away in its sash. It turned to Ash and bowed to him.
"I am at your command my master." Dark Blade spoke. Ash was shocked that his monster spoke to him.
"You-you can talk?" Ash said.
And I'm gonna stop it here. Don't you just love cliffhangers? And yes I am going to have this story where Ash talks to his card spirits.